What is cystic fibrosis (CF)?
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that affects a person’s long-term health and lifespan. It often causes problems with digestion and breathing. In some cases, CF can be a mild disease. But in most people with CF, it poses a serious risk to a person’s health. The average lifespan of a person with CF is 37 years. Those with a milder form can live into their 50s.

What types of medications for pain relief are used during labor and delivery?
In general, there are two types of drugs for pain relief: 1) analgesics and 2) anesthetics. Analgesics lessen pain without loss of feeling or muscle movement. Anesthetics relieve pain by blocking most feeling, including pain. Pain relief medications can be either systemic, regional, or local. Systemic medications affect the entire body. Local medications affect only a small area of the body. Regional medications affect a region of the body, like the region below the waist.

When should I have my first gynecologic visit?
An obstetrician–gynecologist (ob–gyn) is a doctor who specializes in the health care of women. Girls should have their first gynecologic visit between the ages of 13 years and 15 years.

Although most babies are born healthy, parents-to-be often worry about the
possibility that their baby will be born with a medical condition or physical
disability. A birth defect is a physical problem or intellectual disability that is
present at birth, although some birth defects may not be noticed until the
child is older. About 3 in 100 babies in the United States are born with a major
birth defect

Pregnancy
What is a preconception care checkup? Who should have a preconception care checkup? Why is a healthy diet important? How can I make sure my diet is healthy? How can being overweight affect my pregnancy? How can I lose weight if I am overweight? How can being underweight affect my pregnancy? Should I take a vitamin supplement? Why is it important for me to get enough folic acid before I get pregnant? Why is it important for me to get enough iron? Can my lifestyle affect my pregnancy? How can my environment affect my pregnancy? Ca...

What is an ovarian cyst?
An ovarian cyst is a sac or pouch filled with fluid or other tissue that forms in or on an ovary. Ovarian cysts are very common. They can occur during the childbearing years or after menopause. Most ovarian cysts are benign (not cancer) and go away on their own without treatment. Rarely, a cyst may be malignant (cancer) (see FAQ096 Ovarian Cancer).